Cindy Present | Get Out Girl

Thus, when life unexpectedly and mandatorily pushed “pause,” I had a decision to make: I could scratch and claw my way through the turbulence, or I could ride the wave and make it my objective to keep my face to the sunshine. These several months of unknown and uncharted territories could suddenly become the biggest gift of time or go on record  as the most stressful, bewildering and unproductive.  I t was that realization in which “intentionality” became my best ally. Read More...Austin Fit Magazine, June 2020

Fifty four days. But who is counting. I kind of quit tallying the days. If I did, I was looking back - or forward - and not existing in the day. When we were sentenced to sheltering in our homes, when I was laid off, when my college son moved home, when my husband locked his doors and began working by appointment only, when I had to basically shackle my 90 year old folks to stay within their own confines, and when our senior son learned his May graduation date was cancelled, I made the decision that if nothing good was going to happen during this unknown time, I had the choice to make something good come out of it. Meaning. Being at home with only essential errands and nothing but time for 2 1/2 months - for me - is quite the feat. I don't sit still well, nor do I exist in idle mode. I tend to always push the boundaries, the opportunities - yes, even on occasion pulling the trigger before I aim. But those that know me would say that one of my traits is to push, pursue, persevere.  ...

Ironman World Championships Swim Start, Kailua Pier, Kona, HI To #beresilient today, I'm anchoring in the word Exhale. I've heard it, seen it and "been it" throughout this week - we are all going emotionally stir crazy after over four weeks of COVID 19 life change. "He's driving me crazy." "I'm driving me crazy." "This is driving me crazy." Protecting our physical selves is taking it's toll on our mental and emotional selves. Personally, my chest feels like I've been holding my breath way too long. Similar to the memory of sitting at the bottom of the pool as a little girl, criss-cross applesauce, counting seconds (NOT minutes!) to see how long I could hold my breath. My chest would feel pressure, weight, and compression that resonated through my entire torso. I'd scrunch my face, wince my eyes and keep holding the pressure. Then, BAM, extend my legs, push off the bottom of the four foot "deep...

Anchoring in to the Earth and Nature to #beresilient today. 50 Year Anniversary  Earth Day 2020 Long before COVID-19 invaded Central Texas, the Egyptian Goose did. These "invasive water fowl" are extremely territorial and can now be found on most of our Central Texas lakes. They're a beautiful bird, amazing markings and color, a gorgeous, flowing water "ginger" as my similar-traited son would call them. But they are also the oddest things. Their incessant honking can leave you standing with curiosity trying to figure out where they are "roosted" - and most likely it will be in the most unlikely of places. These web-footed creatures are often found in branches of our trees forty feet off the ground; perched on our dock roof christening it with yesterday's lunch; and even found perched at the apex of our house! Yes, they do seem to take habitat in their new territory and chase off the local feathered friends, but fingers crossed, na...

Anchoring in today to #beresilient with  Space About three years ago I thought I was suffocating. Busy roads. So many people. Confined. I would no longer ride my road bike, so had I lost that particular feeling of freedom. Still had the trails; thankful for that. But for some reason, the walls of life were closing in. I couldn't explain it, and at the time, really didn't understand it. I'm a born and raised Austinite. My parents moved to Lake Austin in the early 1950's and I was born in a very remote location west of Austin in the early 60's. My most "remote" memory growing up was cresting the RR620 hill coming down by St Luke's Church and looking down into the vastness of Lake Travis and the upper hills of Lake Austin surrounding Mansfield Dam. There was one single light in that entire landscape that pierced the darkness for decades. "I wonder whose light that is?" I'd question every time I saw it. Just one. One single ...

Anchoring in today to #beresilient with the word Tempo If there is one thing that drives my husband crazy, it is the pace at which I start my day. Just "one" thing drives your husband crazy, you ask? Well, I'm quite sure not, however, rephrasing that to THE "main thing that drives him crazy" may be most apropos. "Slow down!" "Wait." "Not now." "Can we just have coffee first?!?" Not uncommon phrases to be heard in our house - or even from one of my besties. I'm queen of running then hitting the ground in the mornings. Not sure why I'm wired that way, but I like to get going, get 'er done, start fast and then coast into my evenings. Thus, I'm sure the reason that whenever I sit down, my eyelids slam down - no matter what time of day. But it's the pace at which I live; the life of which I'm wired. Tempo. It's important. It keeps things moving. The earth moves with it, the w...

To #beresilient today, I'm anchoring in the word Mirror The photo is not one, but rather my image on the water this morning. Nature's Mirror, if you will. It's interesting, the silhouette, the reflection, the profile is the same. It doesn't matter if I'm 50 or 20 - it's still the same body, virtually the same shape, the same person. But today when I looked at it, I saw the "other" me. The one that I left behind, quit listening to, gave up on, quite honestly, forgot, after all this time. It's been years since we disconnected. Frankly, I'm not even sure I could tell you when it happened. Perhaps when there were parts of my life that I was ready to leave behind, to grow away from, use as a foundation and never look back. I didn't intentionally leave "me" behind, I just unconsciously separated and off I grew. But did I really grow? Would I have blossomed more if I had brought her along? Spent a bit more time sitting, wonder...